Venting structure for a combination washer-drier



Aug. 24, 1965 R. P. BERGESON ETAL 3,202,443

VENTING STRUCTURE FOR A COMBINATION WASHER-DRIER Filed April 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 VIII I" Jnumfo r5: Qichord Q Be 1326 11,

Paul 5. D ecamuy 1965 R. P. BERGESON ETAL 3,202,443

VENTING STRUCTURE FOR A COMBINATION WASHER-DRIER Filed April 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,flnveniovs Qichcwd 42 fiemeson 4 Paul 5. Decodwn United States Patent Office didZAi- Patented Aug". 24%, 1%65 '3 262,443 "ENTING STRUQTUitE FUR A CGMBHNATESN WASHEs Richard P. Bergeson, Newton, and Paul S. Decatur, Grinneli, Iowa, assigncrs to The Maytag Company, Newton, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware Filed 19, 1961, 'Ser. N 'lt3-4,t35 Claims. (Cl. 255-2tl) The invention relates to a combination clothes washing and drying unit and has reference more particularly to improved venting structure for bridging the space between certain walls of the unit adapted to have relative movement.

In combination units for Washing and drying clothes, the tub or casing is housed within a stationary enclosing cabinet, and the same is pivotally supported on the base of the cabinet so as to have oscillatable movement with respect to the cabinet. By so mounting the tub for such oscillatable movement, the various forces generated within the tub during operation thereof can be more effectively absorbed. Thus due to the fact that the tub is free to move relative to the cabinet, it is desirable that the venting connections for the combination unit provide for such movement. Accordingly, an object of the invention resides in the provision of improved conduit structure especially designed for connecting the vent opening in the back wall of an oscillatable tub with the rear wall of the enclosing cabinet and which will not limit the free oscillations of the tub or interfere in any manner with the venting of the tub to the atmosphere.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide new and novel conduit means for venting purposes and which will permit limited longitudinal movement between the telescoping sections thereof and which will also permit free sliding movement of an oscillatable wall with respect to the conduit means as a unit.

Another object is to provide conduit means in a washerdrier unit which will bridge the space between the stationary rear wall of the cabinet and the movable wall of the tub, and wherein resilient means are provided for maintaining a pressure contact between the terminal face of the conduit means and Lie said movable wall.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended thereto.

In the drawings whic illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a combination washer and drier selected for illustrating the present invention, and wherein certain walls have been broken away for showing structural details of the unit;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating the improved venting structure of the invention such as may be embodied in the combination unit of FEGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally of the venting structure of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken transversely, substantially on line 4-4, of the venting struc-' ture as shown in FIGURE 3.

For illustrating the invention a combination washerdrier unit has been selected and which essentially consists of a substantially flat surfaced base ltl mounted on legs 11. A pair of channel members such as 12 are welded or otherwise secured in spaced relation to the base it to form two major supports for the tub and for the enclosed clothes drum rotatably supported by the tub. The apex of each channel member mounts a pivot pin 14 and which is journalled by means of the tubular bearing sleeve 15. Accordingly, the structure provides a pivotal support for the tub brackets 16, the said brackets being welded or fixed in any suitable manner to the tub and casing generally designated by the numeral 18. The pivoting of the tub on the channel members 12 by means of the pivot pins 14 permits the tub to oscillate back and forth in an arouate movement in response to various forces generated within the tub during operations of the washer-drier unit.

The tub 18 includes a generally cylindrical side wall 22, a pair of spaced rear walls 24 and 25, and a front wall (not shown) at the front end of the tub and which includes an opening by means of which the clothes are deposited within the rotatable clothes drum 26 of the unit. As previously stated the tub 18 is enclosed within the substantially rectangular cabinet 27, the front wall of which is likewise provided with an opening in alignment with the tub opening and which is provided with the conventional door having a glass window. The rear wall 2 and the front wall of the tub are respectively connected to the cylindrical side wall 22 by means of an encompassing flanged loop-like member 28. The intermediate wall 25 is suitably welded to the cylindrical side wall 22, and the back space of the tub between the walls 24 and Z5 is provided with duct work such as 29 which forms an air flow passage 39.

Water is admitted to the tub for the washing and rinsing operations by means of one or more flexible tubes 31 which discharge into cups such as 32. The clothes drum of the unit is rotated by the belt 33 which passes around the pulley 34. At the end of the washing and drying operations the water is drained from the tub by a pump associated with the sump 35, and during the drying cycle heated air is circulated through the clothes drum by means of an impeller type fan, not shown. The fan withdraws the heated air from the clothes drum 26 and delivers the same to the air flow passage 30 which connects with the exhaust and vent opening 36 shown in FIGURE 3. The said exhaust and vent opening is located in the rear wall 24 of the tub. From the said opening the heated air is discharged to the atmosphere by the venting structure of the invention generally designatcd by numeral 50 and which will now be described in detail.

The rear wall 41 of the cabinet 27 is provided with an opening 42 of approximately the same size and which is in substantial alignment with the exhaust opening 36. The venting structure is associated with these two openings and thus the same bridges the gap between the rear walls 24 and 41. The fixed part of the venting structure comprises the conduit section 4-3 which is located in the opening 42 so as to extend a short distance on each side of the stationary rear wall 41. The section 43 should have a tight fit with the inturned flange 44 defining the opening, or the section may be suitably secured to the flange as by welding. A flexible conduit member such as 4-5 may be telescoped over that end which extends outwardly from wall 41, whereas the inner projecting end of the section is bent to form a circumterentially extending interior groove 46.

The longitudinally movable section 43 at its right hand end, FIGURE 3, is telescoped by the grooved end 46 of the stationary section 43 and sealing material 50 such as felt or the like is contained by the groove. In addition to its sealing function the felt material 59 facilitates movement of the section 48 with respect thereto. The left hand end of the movable section 48 is flanged as at 51 to form an annular peripheral portion, and which is presented to the outside surface of wall 24. This wall is movable with respect to wall 41 and in order to facilitate said movement a facing member 52 also of felt or the like is interposed between the wall 24 and the annular a N a a flange 51. In accordance with the invention the felt member 52 is maintained in contact with the wall 24 by the spring elements 53. Each element is approximately U-shaped, FIGURES 2 and 3, and the same is fixed at one end to the flangeby the integral clip 54 and at its other end to the section 43 by the integral clip 55; 1 V

The two conduit sections 43 and 48 have free telescoping relation with each other and this permits axial movement of the movable section 48 with respect to the relatively fixed and stationary'section 43. The'felt sealing ring 50 maintains the desired seal between the relatively movable sections. Also thefacing annulus 52 of felt effects a similar seal with'the movable wall 24 and with the vent opening 36 formed in said Wall. Since movement of the wall 24 takes place in substantially a parallel plane to that of the wall 41, it'will be appreciated that the conduit structure is able at all times to provide an adequate venting connection for the combination unit. What is claimed is:. I 1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a pair of spaced substantially parallel walls having approximately aligned openings therein and wherein one wall is stationary with the other'wall being oscil latably movable in a plane substantially parallel thereto,

of conduit structure for connecting the openings, said 'yieldingly urging the second conduit section and thus said annular facing flange in a direction towards the movable wall. 5 i 1 2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with spaced parallel Walls having approximately aligned openings therein and wherein one wall is stationary with the other wall being oscillatably movable in a parallel plane, of conduit structure for connecting the openings, said structure including a first conduit section fixed within the opening in the stationary wall and projecting from opposite sides thereof, a second conduit section bridging the space between the fixed first conduit section and the movable'wall, said second conduit section 3. In venting structure for a combination washer-drier unit providing spaced rear walls, one of said walls being stationary and the other wall being supported for limited oscillating movement in a plane parallel to the stationary wall, each of said walls having an opening therein in substantial alignment with the opening in the other wall, conduit structure for bridging the space between the walls so as to connect the openings, said structure comprising a first and-second conduit section, the first section extending through the opening in the stationary wall and fixed thereto, the second section being associated with the opening in the movable wall, said 1 sections having coaxially movable telescoping relation having its proximate end in coaxially movable telescoped relation with the first section, sealing means located between the telescoping portions of said sections, the other end of the second conduit section providing an annular facing flange parallel to'said movable wall, other sealing means between the facing flange and the movable wall,

and resilient members connected between and anchored other sealing means in contact with said wall,

between "the walls, an annular facing flange provided by the second section and having facing relation with the movable wall, and resilient means anchored respectively on the first and second sections for yieldingly urging the second section and thus the facing flange in a direction towards the movable wall. t i

4. Venting structure for a combination washer-drier unit as defined by claim 3, additionally including sealing means of flexible material interposed between the sections at the telescoping portion, and other sealing means also of flexible material interposed between the facing flange and the movable wall.

"having a fixedlocation withinthe opening in the stationary wall, a second conduit section bridging the space between the first conduit section and said movable wall, said movable wall being oscillatable in a plane substan tially perpendicular to the central axis of said conduit sections, said second section having one end in coaxially movable telescoped relation with the fixed first section, the other end of the second conduit section having an annular facing flange, and resilient means between said first and second sections yieldingly urging the second conduit section and the said annular facing flange in a direction toward the movable wall. 4 4

References Cited by the Examiner A UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,393,380 1/46 Jorgenson 34 1s3 2,520,501 8/50 'Guiler 2s5 302 2,628,851 2/53 Jessup 285-178X 2,6 8,501' 9/54 MacLeod 285- 2,830,384 4/58 Zerhbach 34433 2,875,996 3/59 Huller s4 1s3 x 2,958,139 11/60 Smith 34-433 FOREIGN PATENTS 565,507 11/44 Great Britain.

NORMAN YUDKQFF, Primary Examiner, 

1. IN APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, THE COMBINATION WITH A PAIR OF SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WALLS HAVING APPROXIMATELY ALIGNED OPENINGS THEREIN AND WHEREIN ONE WALL IS STATIONARY WITH THE OTHER WALL BEING OSCILLATABLY MOVABLE IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL THERETO, OF CONDUIT STRUCTURE FOR CONNECTING THE OPENINGS, SAID STRUCTURE INCLUDING A FIRST CONDUIT SECTION HAVING A FIXED LOCATION WITHIN THE OPENING IN THE STATIONARY WALL, A SECOND CONDUIT SECTION BRIDGING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FIRST CONDUIT SECTION AND SAID MOVABLE WALL, SAID SECOND CONDUIT SECTION HAVING ITS PROXIMATE END IN COAXIALLY MOVABLE TELESCOPED RELATION WITH THE FIRST FIXED SECTION, THE OTHER END OF THE SECOND CONDUIT SECTION PROVIDING AN ANNULAR FACING FLANGE PARALLEL TO SAID MOVABLE WALL, AND RESILIENT MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS YIELDINGLY URGING THE SECOND CONDUIT SECTION AND THUS SAID ANNULAR FACING FLANGE IN A DIRECTION TOWARDS THE MOVABLE WALL. 